‘The Awakening Tour 2025’ celebrates Christ’s victory over sin and depression

By Katlynn Rossignol

The Awakening Tour visited Dayton, OH, this November to rock a stadium with some of today’s top Christian artists. 

Opening the night was We Are Messengers, a contemporary Christian band originating from Ireland. The group opened with their song “Power,” setting the stage for an evening of escalating energy and fun. Making the most of their 45 minute stagetime, the band featured a keytar solo and some of their radio hits, including “Point to You” and “Come What May.” 

Beginning the theme for the evening, lead singer Darren Mulligan took a moment during the set to share his testimony. Mulligan described that through his faith and trust in Christ, he was able to overcome his depression, quoting Psalm 30:5b, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (NKJV). This made for a joyful transition into “A Thousand Times,” with lyrics reminding listeners how God uses every hard moment for good. 

“And every tear that you cried

Every broken prayer you prayed

He turned it for good

He lets nothing go to waste”

(We Are Messengers, “A Thousand Times”)

After a charity spotlight for World Vision child sponsorship, the stage crew got to work revealing the next layer of stage setup. 

Winner of five GMA Dove Awards and writer of “Dead Man Walking,” “Keep Me in the Moment” and “I Still Believe,” Jeremy Camp is no small name in Christian music. Camp opened his portion of the concert leaping onto stage with “Made for these days.” The effects team came prepared with paper streamers blasting into the crowd and colorful light beams swirling around the stadium. Keeping up the spirit, Camp and his team performed “Dead Man Walking,” featuring a sweet guitar solo. 

Camp’s short message to the crowd was the best presentation of the evening. The artist shared how he struggled with depression after he suddenly lost his wife to cancer. Even through the sorrow, Christ died for his sins, and God continues to provide. His song “I Still Believe” was a great pairing with his message, and “Getting Started” brought everyone together to light up the stadium. 

“To anyone who trusts in Jesus’ name

Watch your world become forever changed

Here’s a song about light from darkness

I believe you’re only getting started”

(Jeremey Camp, “Getting Started”)

Jeremy Camp made a grand finale to his performance with “No Survivors,” a hard-rock title, which he released in collaboration with Skillet just eight days prior.

After another short intermission, the Skillet logo was revealed onstage. With most of the crowd sporting Skillet t-shirts, the band was no doubt the biggest of the three names performing that evening. The group has performed hard-rock Christian hits since forming in 1996. 

“Surviving the Game” was the band’s opening anthem, getting everyone hyped and jumping. The band’s lead singer, John Cooper, brought the passion while running and dancing around stage. The band rocked heavy guitar shreds through their set list, including “Invincible,” “Legendary” and “Whispers in the Dark,” all while building themes of resilience and strength in the face of darkness.

“When I need to be saved

You’re making me strong, you’re making me stand

Never will fall, never will end”

(Skillet, “Invincible”)

Letting the team rest for a short moment, Cooper enthusiastically restated the evening’s theme of victory over depression and fear.

“You may have noticed our music can be very aggressive,” Cooper said. “As you know, we’re approaching the holidays; where in Christ’s birth, we celebrate His life! And in His death, we celebrate that He gave the devil a cosmological booty whippin’ !!!” 

The band finished out the second half of their performance with some of their biggest hits, including “Hero,” “Psycho In My Head,” “Monster” and “Resistance.” Always theatrical to the extreme, the special effects team brought out smoke-arm cannons and moving stage risers, absolutely nailing the action of the event. Jeremy Camp even returned to the stage for a surprise cameo during “Monster,” performing the song’s titular monster-filter chorus. 

The Awakening Tour was an epic concert experience that ramped up the excitement throughout. We Are Messengers’ contemporary-Christian opening act served as an upbeat introduction to the evening’s themes. The heartfelt moments from Jeremy Camp established the message of victory in Christ and escalated the energy for Skillet to guitar-shred their way onto stage.

We Are Messengers, Jeremy Camp and Skillet are performing The Awakening Tour across the U.S. through November 23, 2025.

Katlynn Rossignol is a senior Strategic Communications student and A&E editor for Cedars. She loves messy crafts with friends, absurd amounts of the color pink and headbanging to hard rock music.

Photos by Katlynn Rossignol